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Saturday morning, 9 am. Autumn skies over Amsterdam East. Me, on my bike, on my way to get my hair done. I cross the street, thinking there is plenty of time between me and the car I see coming from the distance. Car moving faster than I thought, blows his horn and comes to a squeaking stand still, seconds after I made it to the middle of the road. Driver opens his window. “What the f*** do you think you’re doing, you f****** b****?!” Driver’s wife leans over towards the window. “You f****** c***!! Do you want to get yourself killed? This is a f****** pedestrian crossing! You’re on a bike!” Indeed, I am on a bike. And thank goodness I am, cause I am not sure I would have made it to the other side had I been walking, at the speed they were going. Trying hard to stay zen, I ask the angry couple if it’s really necessary to use such foul language. Yes, I know I am not supposed to ride my bike on a pedestrian crossing, but neither are they supposed to speed.
Driver’s wife gives me the finger, utters some more vulgarity and off they go, leaving me pretty shaken up.

Wednesday night, 10 pm. Crowded tram closes its doors after letting the last passengers on board. Tram driver starts to move. Man comes running towards the door, slamming his hands against the windows to get the conductor’s attention. Man succeeds, conductor asks driver to stop and re-opens the doors. Man gets on board. “Why the f*** did you close that door? Damn it, you saw me coming and you just closed that door on me.” Flabbergasted conductor looks at man. “Sir, I didn’t see you untill you knocked on the door. There is a curve in the road, and at this angle I can not see who’s coming.” Man, still angry, keeps shouting. “But why the f*** did you have to close that door? I deserve to be on this tram just like anyone else.” By that time, the tram driver joins the conversation through the intercom. “This is the driver speaking. To that gentleman in the back: please have a seat and stop shouting at the conductor. If it wasn’t for her, I would not have stopped this tram to let you in, so a thank you would be more than appropriate. If you keep on shouting, I am going to ask you to leave this tram.” Man, even more angry than before, keeps shouting at the conductor. Driver starts moving again and after 5 more minutes of ranting, man finally takes a seat.

Temporary insanity, random public profanity? There’s only one answer to it.